Refrigerator



(No Model.)

G. G. PERKINS.

REFRIGERATOR.

No. 598,00l Patented Jan. 25,1898.

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Ilnrrnn Starts Partnr @tripa GEORG C. PERKINS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

REFRiGER/TOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,006, dated January25, 1898.

Application filed October 26, 1896. Serial No. 610,111. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of IVayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, of whichthe following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to theaccom panyingdrawin gs.

This invention refers principally to animproved ventilation forrefrigerators, and the principal object is to produce a greater economyin the use of ice than has been obtained heretofore, and to this end Ibase the constructionof my refrigerator upon the following leadingprinciples: first, to keep ice in a closed receptacle from wasting thetop of the receptacle must be thoroughly ventilated; second, no outsideair must be allowed to come in contact with the ice, and thus no airshould be admitted at the bottom or in any manner which would cause itto circulate in contact with the ice.

`While these principles are of very simple application in theconstruction of an ice-house, they are difficult to carry out in arefrigerator in which it is the paramount requirement that cold airshould circulate through the refrigerating-chamber, and the cold airthus circulated should be graduallyT removed as it becomes foul orcontaminated by contact with the food and the vapors emitted therefrom,which requirement therefore demands an admission of fresh air to theice.

My invention therefore consists in a refrigerator in which an interiorcirculation of the cold airis provided through the refrigeratingchamberwith constant and gradual renewal of suoli cold air as it becomescontaminated, while at the same time the top of therefrigerating-chamber is constantly ventilated, all in a manner toprevent the air admitted from the outside to circulate in contact withthe ice, as more fully hereinafter described.

My invention consists also in the peculiar arrangement of parts wherebythe inside walls of the refrigerating-chamber are prevented frombecoming moist and thereby form a source of y generating foul air.

Figure l is a horizontal section through the upper part of therefrigerator in which the ice is kept. Fig. 2 is a vertical centralsection on line a b of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar section on line c CZof Fig. l.

Aare the outer walls of arefrigerator made of two thicknesses of boardall around, with a layer B of felt or like non-conducting materialinserted between. IVithin these outer walls is inclosed therefrigerating-chamber O, built of a single thickness of board, with anair-space D separating it all around the top and bottom from the outerwalls of the refrigerator. This refrigerating-chamber is divided intothe upper compartment E for the ice and several lower compartments F FF2 for the reception of the articles of food to be preserved. Theseseparate compartments have, as usual, suitable doors in the front foraccess thereto.

The bottom II of the higher receptacle E is made imperforate andconstitutes a pan for the collection of the water from the melting ice,which water is carried off through a suitable drip-pipe G, passing outthrough the bottom and provided with the usual gooseneck trap G', all inthe usual manner. The bottom II of this higher receptacle does notextend quite to the side wall of the refrigerating-chamber, but formssmall openings at thevopposite ends, which openings are continuedupwardly by means of end partitions communicating at different heightswith the upper compartment, which partitions I have conveniently shownin the form of boards J J, extending some distance above the floor H,the arrangement being such that at one side, which I call the air-inlet7side, the end board J is considerably lower than on the other end whereit extends higher up. In this manner air-ducts I I are formed, throughwhich the compartment E communicates with the refrigerating-compartmentsF F' F2 below,

the floors or division-walls of which are merely composed of slattedshelves, through which the air can freely pass.

The ice-holding compartment E communicates with the outside air throughtwo apertures l and K', the latter of which is located at or near thetop of the ice-compartment, while the former is lower down and is alsomade of lesser area than the aperture K'. Both of these apertures extendthrough the outer walls A and inner walls C and commu- IOO nicate freelyinto the air-space D between the two walls.

In practice the operation of the refrigerator is as follows: The air incontact with the ice in the compartment E becoming cooled and heavy willgradually overflow over the partition J, as the higher board J willprevent it from flowing down on the other side. It will thus iow downthrough the air-duct I and thence through the different compartments tothe bottom of the refrigerator and thereby displace an equal quantity ofless cold and, therefore, lighter air, for which the only eXit is by wayof the passage I in the upward course into the top of theice-compartment, and as it becomes warm and expanded it will naturallyseek an exit through the higher opening K'. At the same time by theproximity of the opening K to the air-duct I the 'outflow of cold airover the partition J will induce an inflow of fresh air through theopening K; but this air will only mingle to a slight degree with thecold air surrounding the ice, and that only after it becomes suitablycooled down to the temperature of said air. For the same reason it isalso cut off from flowing down through the duct I, as it is warmer andmuch lighter. Its course will therefore be to the desired extent acrossthe top of the compartment E toward the opening K', and thus form thedesired top ventilation of the refrigerator without carrying anywasteful air-current around or in contact with the ice from which it iskept by the cold body of air retained in the compartment E around theice up to the height of the board J.

By this arrangement I produce great economy in the use of ice, and atthe same time the air is suitably circulated and renewed within therefrigerating compartments to make the refrigerator efficient.

It will further be seen that by reason of the air-space D, surroundingthe inner chamber C, which is only of single thickness, the air thereinwill become cooled olf in contact with the walls C, and thereforeprevent condensation of moisture on the inner faces thereof. tion of airmay take place through this airspace sufticient to prevent it frombecoming filled with moist air by reason of its communicating with theapertures K K.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a refrigerator, arefrigerating-chamber having an upper and lower compartment, twovertical end partitions in said upper compartment forming between themand the adjacent upright walls of the refrigeratingchamber narrow airnues or passages communicating with the upper compartment at differentheights and communicating with the lower compartment at or near its top,the refrigerating-chamber having air-passages through the upright wallsthereof into the top of the upper compartment, the air-passage adjacentthe flue having the lower communication with the upper compartment beinglocated below the air-passage adjacent the other air-flue, substantiallyas described.

2. In a refrigerator the combination of the outer inclosing Walls ofnon-conducting construction, a refrigerating-chamber inclosed within andhaving its Walls separated by an air-space from the outer walls, anupper compartment for the ice formed in said refrigerating-chamber, twovertical end boards of different heights in said compartment formingnarrow vertical air-lines between them and the side walls of therefrigerating-cham ber respectively and through which the uppercompartment communicates into the compartment below, and air-passagesconnecting the ice-holding compartment upon the sides near the topdirectly with the outer air, said passages being placed above the endboards at different heights respectively and communicating also into theair-space between the outer walls and the refrigerating-chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE C. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, OTTO F. BARTHEL:

At the same time a slight circula-

